A Gahanna parking lot is now home to a beehive designed to make beekeeping more accessible for people who use wheelchairs. The project opened in June and is being described as the first fully wheelchair-accessible beehive.
The hive uses a lower-to-the-ground structure and pull-out drawers, giving visitors a closer look at the colony without having to reach over a standard hive box, according to NBC4 WCMH-TV. It sits outside Peace Lutheran Church in Gahanna and is tended by Creative Options, a day program for adults with developmental disabilities.
The project grew from Gahanna’s community grant efforts and a partnership involving Creative Options and Peace Lutheran Church. Gahanna meeting minutes describe the hive as a 2025 project created to accommodate people with mobility and accessibility needs.
A Hands-On Hive With A Fundraising Plan
Creative Options’ programming is built around adult day support, community inclusion and activities that help participants develop independence. The organization says its Gahanna campus combines on-site programming with community outings and hands-on experiences, according to Creative Options.
Staff care for the bees every 10 to 14 days, checking the colony’s health, providing treatments and water, and feeding the bees when flowers are scarce, NBC4 reports. The accessible drawers also give visitors a way to observe the hive while keeping the inspection process more manageable.
Creative Options plans to harvest the honey and use it in products such as candles and lip balms, with sales helping raise money for the program, according to NBC4. That gives the Gahanna hive a second job beyond pollination: creating an accessible community activity that may eventually help pay for itself.
